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墨書 Inktalez
Federation Calendar Year 9981, Demon Domain Asteroid Belt.
“Arrow Strike Team First Squad has landed!”
On the narrow interstellar transport ship, an armed figure appeared on the central screen of the vessel. The commander of the Strike Team nodded slightly, raising his right hand decisively and waving it.
“Second Squad, begin landing!”
A booming voice erupted in Ye Yu's ear; it was the voice of Zhou Hongwu, the captain of Second Squad. As soon as he finished speaking, he dashed toward the transition cabin.
With a sharp clap, the twenty members of Second Squad turned in unison, their steps synchronized as they followed their captain into the transition cabin.
Outside the cabin, the cosmos lay desolate. This was a combat zone between the Federal Republic and the Blue Seal Empire. A long asteroid belt stretched across nearly one-tenth of a light-year, formed by what was said to be a supernova explosion. The radiation here was severe, with various strange cosmic hazards, earning it the name “Demon Domain”!
Ye Yu took a deep breath and finally closed his space helmet, activating his portable oxygen tank. A hint of nervousness crossed his youthful face; this was his first time participating in such a high-stakes mission.
“Jump!”
Standing at the edge of the ship, Zhou Hongwu was the first to leap down. The Arrow Strike Team had always been tasked with executing the most dangerous missions; each member was fearless, and Zhou Hongwu stood out among them. Even within their ranks, he was often referred to as “Death,” for wherever he went on a mission, he would completely eliminate his opponents!
With his eyes shut tight, Ye Yu followed suit and jumped down. The interstellar transport ship was still several hundred kilometers above the ground, but the members of the Strike Team piloted M9-type mechs that would carry them safely to the surface.
Against the pitch-black sky, dazzling white lights suddenly streaked across like blooming flowers, injecting a touch of life into this lifeless expanse.
“Everyone, one hundred kilometers ahead lies the Alien Prisoner of War Camp. This time we have only two options: rescue the captives or leave our lives here!”
After confirming their numbers, Zhou Hongwu conducted one last pre-battle briefing. Their mission was critical; there were two Mecha Engineers among the captives they needed to rescue. These engineers were responsible for improving the latest model of mechs. If they failed to bring them back, it would delay the development of this new mech model. This new type of mech was a powerful weapon against high-level superhumans from the Blue Seal Empire. If it could not be equipped in time, it would result in significant losses for the Federal Military.
“We will not disgrace our mission!”
On the silent ground, everyone clenched their fists, fully aware of the importance of this operation. It was no surprise that the most iron-blooded unit of the Federation was called into action.
As the Third Squad landed on the ground, the Second Squad had already advanced twenty kilometers toward their target. This time, the First Squad was responsible for breaching the defenses, while the Third Squad was tasked with providing support.
"Stay close behind me this time; don't stray too far," Zhou Hongwu's voice echoed in Ye Yu's ear. He instinctively glanced toward a nearby area but could only see a tall mech running at full speed.
"Zhou Hongwu, you know my capabilities," Ye Yu replied, a flicker of unusual blue flashing in his eyes. He was confident in his strength; otherwise, he wouldn't have joined this unit.
"I trust your abilities, but don’t forget that I’m a veteran. I have the instincts of an old soldier and experience gained from countless brushes with death!"
Zhou Hongwu's mech accelerated further as a massive structure began to materialize in the distance.
"Thank you!"
Ye Yu chose not to say more. Being part of this iron-blooded unit meant facing a high mortality rate, and he didn't want his arrogance to lead to his demise on the battlefield.
"We have three minutes to locate those two engineers!" After a brief communication with the leader of the First Squad, Zhou Hongwu immediately relayed the order to everyone.
"We're only one kilometer away from the Prisoner of War Camp. At the speed of an M9 mech, we can reach the entrance in ten seconds! However, their warning system can detect us within three seconds, lock onto us in five seconds, and we will face the first wave of attacks after eight seconds!
Therefore, we must reach the entrance within seven seconds; otherwise, we will become live targets for their defense system. The M9 mech has impressive defensive capabilities, but if it is subjected to a saturation attack from their missile array, I doubt anyone would think we could survive!"
"Captain Zhou, if that's the case, the mech's load will reach its maximum," one team member voiced his concern upon hearing Zhou Hongwu's words.
"Even if the mech disintegrates, you all need to charge in with your oxygen tanks!" Zhou Hongwu surveyed his team and continued, "As per usual, I'll go first!"
With that, Zhou Hongwu turned his massive mech to face the direction of the Prisoner of War Camp. In the next moment, a cloud of dust erupted from the ground as a gigantic silver-gray figure shot into the sky.
The others had no time to hesitate. The moment Zhou Hongwu soared into the air, everyone had already activated their mechs to full power.
The mechs, which had been in silent mode, suddenly emitted a strong signal. The Strike Team, which had been cloaked, was completely exposed to the warning system of the Prisoner of War Camp at that instant!
"Alert! Alert! Unknown mechs have invaded!"
The shrill alarm echoed throughout the entire Prisoner of War Camp. The defense system, which had been on high alert, sprang into action. Automated missiles began operating at maximum speed, and on the screens, red dots were continuously locked onto by the monitoring equipment.
Ye Yu pushed his mech to its highest gear, and the entire machine trembled violently. He felt an overwhelming pressure bearing down on him like a tidal wave.
"Ugh—" A mouthful of blood spurted from Ye Yu's lips as he accidentally bit his tongue in surprise.
The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, and Ye Yu felt his adrenaline surge uncontrollably. A bloodthirsty impulse crashed through his mind.
"Kill!"
Ye Yu shouted as the mech leaped forward, the Prisoner of War Camp rapidly enlarging in his view!
Five hundred meters!
Three hundred meters!
...
The distance closed quickly. The M9 mech reached its maximum load, covering eight hundred meters in just five seconds!
Inside the mech, Ye Yu felt as if he were standing atop a volcano ready to erupt. All indicators had reached their warning levels, and the interior of the mech was screaming in protest.
At that moment, Ye Yu felt the entire mech shudder violently as a tremendous force surged from behind, crashing into the machine.
“Damn it! Missile!”
Ye Yu glanced at the screen on the mech; the area behind them had turned into a sea of flames. The enemy's missile had launched in just five seconds, three seconds ahead of schedule!
Fortunately, the mech was operating at maximum speed, and the missile's lock-on had failed! With a massive impact, Ye Yu piloted the mech across the final two hundred meters, barely landing at the entrance of the Prisoner of War Camp.
“We lost three brothers!”
Still shaken, Ye Yu heard Zhou Hongwu's voice in his ear. It was then he noticed that among the twenty teammates displayed on the screen, three had already turned gray.
The mission had started poorly, and a sense of dread spread like a plague in everyone's hearts.
“Quick and decisive!”
Zhou Hongwu didn’t have time to comfort his brothers. He aimed the Phase Cannon on his mech at the Alloy gate! The other sixteen team members immediately followed suit, unleashing a barrage of Crimson Light Beams towards the entrance!
On an airless asteroid, sound could not travel. Under the immense energy impact, the Alloy gate vaporized instantly, sending brilliant clouds of gas soaring into the air.
Zhou Hongwu was the first to plunge into the rising Alloy gas and vanished from sight. Ye Yu hesitated for a moment before diving in after him.
Surrounded by mist, visibility dropped to zero. Using infrared monitoring equipment, Ye Yu detected a massive red figure swiftly moving ahead.
“Zhou Hongwu, be careful!”
A wave of unease washed over Ye Yu. He still hadn’t seen a single member of the Blue Seal Empire, and that feeling was unsettling.
"I have already informed First Squad to move out early. According to the intelligence we gathered earlier, these two engineers are locked up about a kilometer underground. We need to find the entrance immediately!" Zhou Hongwu's figure did not pause for a moment as he rushed toward their destination based on the existing information.
As everyone continued to advance, their surroundings gradually became clearer. Ye Yu looked around the room, feeling that something was off. It wasn't until Zhou Hongwu stopped that he suddenly reacted, saying, "Why haven't we seen a single captive?"
"Retreat immediately!"
Turning around, Zhou Hongwu waved his hand at everyone, making a gesture to withdraw.
"We just detected massive energy fluctuations in this area!" Zhou Hongwu's voice trembled slightly, a subconscious reaction of humans when faced with dire situations.
"What do you mean?" Ye Yu was taken aback. Although he felt something was strange, they hadn't even seen a shadow of the enemy yet, so he was reluctant to retreat.
"An explosion is about to happen here!"
Someone immediately reacted, but this well-trained team did not fall into chaos; instead, they became even more orderly.
"What? How long do we have?" Ye Yu couldn't believe that this ambush was going so poorly. They hadn't even encountered the enemy and were already being forced to retreat.
"Fifteen seconds!" At this moment, Zhou Hongwu had surprisingly calmed down. Fifteen seconds meant they still had hope.
The previously somewhat panicked group now exhibited an unusual calmness. All the mechs emitted a harsh "squeaking" sound, as if they were about to fall apart at any moment.
Just moments ago, the members of Strike Team had been holding back a bit, but now they dared not reserve any strength. The thrusters of the mechs had already exceeded the warning threshold, meaning whether or not the mechs would hold together was now left to fate!
"Brothers, I'm sorry! This explosion will have a force equivalent to at least ten million tons of TNT, which means this small asteroid will be destroyed!"
Hearing Zhou Hongwu's voice, everyone felt a heavy weight in their hearts. Even if they managed to escape outside, the immense shockwave generated by the explosion could tear them apart.
No one's footsteps paused; in just five seconds, all seventeen individuals rushed outside. They made no unnecessary movements, and the moment they emerged, they activated their mechs and soared into the sky!
The specially modified mechs were equipped with rapid-response rocket boosters, and streams of light blue flames propelled them toward the cosmos. With each passing second, it felt as if a heavy hammer struck their hearts, as death approached them with rhythmic steps.
In the final three seconds, they had already ascended to a height of fifteen kilometers, and the true power of the rocket boosters began to unleash! The acceleration was complete, and they instantly reached peak speed, bursting out of the asteroid's gravitational field in the blink of an eye!
At that moment, Ye Yu felt a tremendous impact beneath his feet!
"Extreme danger!"
"Power System damaged!"
"Pressure System compromised!"
"Life Support System eighty percent damaged!"
"Warning! Warning! Oxygen leak, oxygen leak!" Streams of air escaped from the damaged areas of the mech into the void of space.
A suffocating sensation washed over Ye Yu as the explosive force propelled him toward an unknown destination. The mech, now devoid of power, drifted aimlessly like a rootless weed in the emptiness.
Soon, under extreme hypoxia, Ye Yu felt waves of dizziness as his consciousness began to blur. Just then, he suddenly felt a jolt throughout his body; a faint blue light pierced his vision, and he completely lost consciousness.
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